PKR polls: Many candidates alleging results have been manipulated, says Farhash

PETALING JAYA: The unofficial results of the PKR polls should be audited as there are many complaints and objections from candidates alleging that it has been "manipulated", says Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.

Reiterating the calls for a forensic audit by an independent body on the PKR polls results, Farhash said the online voting system had also revealed a flawed mechanism that raises questions on transparency.

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"It's not about being unable to accept defeat, but there are questions on the possibility that the party polls system and mechanism have been compromised and could have been manipulated by certain groups," he said in a statement on Tuesday (May 31).

Farhash, the former aide to PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, claimed that votes counted by the party's election committee were announced without any form of checks and balances.

"The (vote-counting) process did not take account the presence of third parties or candidate's representatives, therefore it is logical to question whether there's any manipulation.

"There isn't anyone present in the vote-counting process to verify whether the figures were correct," he added.

Farhash also questioned the delay of several days in announcing the results.

"The general election involving millions of Malaysian voters and vote-counting is done physically. But results are available in mere hours."

Meanwhile, Farhash said he and dissatisfied candidates would only accept the results of the polls if their concerns are addressed.

"I hope this will not repeat in the coming polls so that the party's election system is truly free from any interference," he added.

"If we are shouting 'Reformasi', then we should practise that in our own party," he added.

On Sunday (May 29), Farhash called for a forensic audit by an independent body on the outcome of the PKR polls, claiming foul play in results for the Gombak division.

Unofficial results showed Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari had garnered 1,858 votes against Farhash's 1,215.

Farhash had said the results were "nonsensical" as the number of votes he got did not tally with the amount of voters who turned up physically to cast their ballots.